Editing Valerian (emperor) (section)

===Origins and rise to power===
Unlike many of the would-be emperors and rebels who vied for imperial power during the [[Crisis of the Third Century]], Valerian was of a noble and traditional [[Roman Senate|senatorial]] family. Details of his early life are sparse, except for his marriage to [[Egnatia Mariniana]], with whom he had two sons: [[Publius Licinius Egnatius Gallienus]] (his co-emperor and later successor) and [[Licinius Valerianus (brother of Gallienus)|Licinius Valerianus]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Bray |first1=J. |title=Gallienus: A study in reformist and sexual politics |date=1997 |publisher=Wakefield Press |location=Kent Town, S. Australia |page=20 |isbn=1-86254-337-2 }}</ref>

Valerian was [[Roman consul|consul]] for the first time either before AD 238 as a ''Suffectus'' or in 238 as an ''Ordinarius''. In 238 he was ''[[princeps senatus]]'', and [[Gordian I]] negotiated through him for senatorial acknowledgement for his claim as emperor. In 251 AD, when [[Decius]] revived the censorship with legislative and executive powers so extensive that it practically embraced the civil authority of the emperor, Valerian was chosen [[Roman censor|censor]] by the Senate,{{sfn|Chisholm|1911}} though he declined to accept the post. During the reign of Decius he was left in charge of affairs in Rome when that prince left for his ill-fated last campaign in [[Illyricum (Roman province)|Illyricum]].<ref>{{cite book |author=Zonaras |author-link=Zonaras |title=Epitome Historiarum |page=XII, 20}}</ref> Under [[Trebonianus Gallus]] Valerian was appointed ''dux'' of an army probably drawn from the garrisons of the German provinces which seems to have been ultimately intended for use in a war against the Persians.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Christol |first1=Michel |author-link=Michel Christol |title=A propos de la politique exterieure de Trebonien Galle |journal=Revue Numismatique |date=1980 |volume=22 |issue=6 |pages=63–74 |doi=10.3406/numi.1980.1803 }}</ref>

However, when Trebonianus Gallus had to deal with the rebellion of [[Aemilianus]] in 253 AD, he turned to Valerian for assistance in crushing the attempted usurpation. Valerian headed south but was too late: Gallus was killed by his own troops, who joined Aemilianus before Valerian arrived. The [[Raetia]]n soldiers then proclaimed Valerian emperor and continued their march towards Rome. Upon his arrival in September, Aemilianus's legions defected, killed him and proclaimed Valerian emperor. In Rome, the Senate quickly acknowledged Valerian.<ref name=P>{{cite book|last=Peachin|first=Michael|title=Roman Imperial Titulature and Chronology, A.D. 235–284|publisher=Gieben|year=1990|isbn=90-5063-034-0|place=Amsterdam|pages=36–38}}</ref>
[[File:Radiate of Valerian (YORYM 2001 787) obverse.jpg|thumb|Radiate of Valerian]]